Leina enshrined at CSU Pueblo Athletics Hall of Fame

Leina Kim-Cox was honored by her college after being enshrined at Colorado State University Pueblo’s Athletics Hall of Fame last Saturday.

“I’m excited to go back to Pueblo and see my old teammates and coaches and catch up with them. It is an honor to just be recognized by the university. I, of course, plan to thank a lot of people, especially the coaches that gave me a shot to begin with. Honestly, my whole time at CSU-Pueblo was amazing, it’s hard to narrow down a few memorable moments,” she told Saipan Tribune prior to the induction ceremony.

The now 32-year-old a stay-at-home mom is married to James Cox and the couple has a beautiful 5 ½-month-old baby girl. Both currently live at Fort Liberty, North Carolina.

In an interview published in the CSU-Pueblo website, Kim-Cox said her most memorable time during her college golf career, “was making it to nationals as an individual. Although I would have loved to go with my teammates, it was still an unforgettable time representing CSU Pueblo. I also feel honored to have been recognized by RMAC multiple times.”

In appearing in the 2013 and 2015 NCAA Division II championships, Kim-Cox placed 28th during her redshirt freshman season and 12th as a junior to become the first CSU Pueblo women’s player to earn All-American honors. She missed qualifying for a third national after signing an incorrect scorecard in 2014 at the NCAA Regional Championships.

As the first women’s golfer to be inducted into the CSU Pueblo Athletics Hall of Fame, Kim-Cox placed third, third, and first in three appearances in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Championships. She topped the league leaderboard in 2015 by shooting a record 135 for two rounds, highlighted by a 66 on the final day in Avondale, Arizona. In NCAA West regional play, she placed third in 2013 and 2015.

The only player in program history to be recognized as an all-American. Kim-Cox was named the 2013 RMAC Freshman of the Year. She was tabbed the RMAC Women’s Golfer of the Week 13 times in three years. Following the conclusion of the 2014-2015 season, Kim owned the nation’s best scoring average at 73.2.

Another memorable moment for Kim-Cox was playing at the Judson Invitational in June 2014 at Roswell, Ga. “I met LPGA Legends Tour players such as Jane Geddes, Rosie Jones, and Nancy Lopez. It was incredible to meet so many fantastic golfers who inspired me as a young girl.”

In the same CSU-Pueblo article, Kim-Cox credits her father (Kwang Young Kim) for getting her started in golf. “My dad has always been my coach throughout my career leading up to college,” she stated. “Besides him, my brother (HB Kim) still mentors me. He is an unbelievable golf coach.”

Kim-Cox said, “It’s hard to remember things off the course, but I can remember the friendships I’ve made with my teammates and classmates. Some of us were almost inseparable, and I am forever grateful that they took me in during the times I wasn’t able to fly home,” when asked about her overall college golf experience.

A Business Management major who earned her degree in 2016 after serving a season as a Pack assistant coach, Kim-Cox said she is “grateful for all my teammates. They all took me in like family when mine couldn’t be there due to the distance. One of my favorite memories is when our team would win a tournament, and as we’re exiting the parking lot, our windows would be down, and we’d blast Thunderstruck while the other teams would stare at us.”

Kim-Cox said she is “still golfing, but it has been a while since I last held a golf club since having a baby. I am also my golf course’s club champion for the last two years, and last year, I qualified for the USGA Women’s Mid-Am.”